Tag: black and white

The Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race is two weeks away and by some twist of fate we found a Gerry Cranham gem hidden away in our negative drawers; Oxford and Cambridge rowing down the River Nile.

In December 1970, Gerry travelled to Egypt with Clement Freud to collaborate on an article for Sports Illustrated. The pair were out there for a week, following the two english crews as they prepared to race against both each other and a crew made up of the local Egyptian police force.

During his trip, Gerry captured not only the races, but the Oxford and Cambridge boys exploring the Valley of the Kings, lounging on Ancient Egyptian architecture and enjoying local entertainment. Amongst the Oxford crew was top rower Dan Topolski.

The trip was rounded off with a dinner, during which Clement Freud made a speech. When complimented afterwards, Freud responded with “Of course it was good, it’s my bloody job!” It’s nice to know he had a good sense of humility.